Introduction:

Birth weight has a great influence on the child’s global development, which in turn is directly influenced by maternal care.

Objective:

To identify in the scientific literature the mother’s perception about the care of children born with low birth weight.

Methods:

This is a systematic review of qualitative studies conducted in accordance with the methodological guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute. The research was carried out between April/2021 and March/2023 in the databases: PubMed, Medline, VHL, SciELO, EMBASE and Web of Science, with the descriptors: maternal perception, low birth weight and child care, in different combinations. Studies in Portuguese, English and Spanish, published between 2013 and 2023, that addressed the maternal care of children born with low birth weight in the hospital or home context were included. Results were categorized according to content analysis.

Results:

1129 studies were identified, of which only 11 were included in this review, in the following categories: maternal feelings, care needs and challenges, breastfeeding, mother-infant bonding and social support.

Final considerations:

Mothers of children born with low birth weight experience insecurity and general adaptation problems that affect care to meet the child’s essential needs. Family support and support from health professionals can reinforce maternal security and contribute to the comprehensive health care of low birth weight children.

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